Where is the right place to adopt a dog?

This is a special section for dogs needing new homes and for inspiring stories of dogs that have found their furever home through Dogster or through the love and energy of rescuers. This is also the place to discuss shelters, rescue organizations, rescue strategies, issues, solutions, etc. and how we can all help in this critical endeavor. Remember that we are all here for the love of dog! If you are posting about a dog that needs a new home, please put your location in the topic of your thread so those close by can find you! Make sure to check out Dogster's dog adoption center!

Member Since 09/17/2013

Barked: Tue Sep 17, '13 12:51pm PST

When you're looking to adopt a dog, where is the best place to find your new furry family member?
I've been thinking of using the SPCA or eBay Classifieds. http://losangeles.ebayclassifieds.com/

I go to my local kill shelter and save a life. Here most have good online presences and easy to make a short list and go visit the dogs when a likely candidate arrives.

The eBay dogs looked to be a mix of dogs from backyard breeders who don't health test the dogs, show them or do sports with them and rescues. BYB, no. Rescues, yes! Probably see the same dogs on Petfinder though.

I agree with Maxwell. If you have a pretty concrete idea what you're looking for and just as important-What would be unacceptable...then one of the kindest things you can do is go to a kill shelter.

The city shelter by us has so many dogs that many of them don't show up on PetFinder. I knew one of the wardens personally and they can only put a handful of dogs on PetFinder a week. The rest just get a number, meaning if you don't go in person to look you'll never know they were there.

I would definitely go with Petfinder over the eBay Classifieds. Petfinder works with actual rescues and shelters; anyone can sell a dog on eBay Classifieds which means you run a high risk of giving money to an unscrupulous breeder. Petfinder is a great way to search for specific breeds and find breed specific rescues.

Or, as others have said, if you don't have anything too specific in mind, just drive down to your local shelter and see the dogs in person. You could find and connect with an amazing dog.